Means for deseeding fruits



R. POLK, JR

MEANS FOR DESEEDING FRUITS Aug.10,l93T

Original Filed Aug. 2, 1935 INVENTOR. 2221,41; RM J;

ATTORNEYj.

Patented Aug. 10, 1937 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFER Original application August 2, 1935, Serial No. 34,346. Divided and this application April 24, 1936, Serial No. 76,098

4 Claims.

Citrus fruits comprise edible centers composed of groups of nature-formed definitely defined readily separable segments, the acceptable edible portion of each of which is enclosed in a tough 3 integument. In many of such fruits there are seeds embedded with the juice cells within the apex of the segment integument.

In order that the acceptable portions may be satisfactorily packaged. and preserved, it is neces- H sary that the seeds be eliminated and it is quite desirable that seed elimination be accomplished prior to the separation of the acceptable portions, in order that the separation of the acceptable portions, as an integral juice cell group, may be 13 accomplished. The problem of segregation is complicated by the fact that the number, angular extent and relative positions of the segments are variable in fruits of approximately the same size.

In grapefruit the number of segments generally varies from 10 to 15.

The necessary segregation and seed elimination is now commercially accomplished by a tedious, relatively costly, hand manipulation which, obviously, must be reflected in the price at which the packaged product is offered to consumers.

The object of my present invention is to provide means whereby seed elimination may be eifectively accomplished without disrupting the fruit, considered as a whole, and with a minimum loss of juice and with substantial maintenance of integrity of the juice cell groups.

The accompanying drawing illustrates my invention:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus embodying my improved device; and

Fig. 2 a medial polar section of a fruit with the seed confining and ejecting portions of my deseeding device in position.

In the drawing, l indicates a turn-table hearing a plurality of circumferentially-spaced forks upon which the fruit is to be impaled along its polar diameter.

Fork comprises an annular series of small tines I2, the upwardly-presented free end of each of which is tapered to form a small, smooth, rounded tip l3 which, under ordinary working conditions, will not pierce the radial portions of the segmental integuments |4 but will readily en- 50 ter the juice cell groups within the apices of a plurality of said integuments.

These integuments comprise tough radial portions flaring outwardly from a medial line adjacent the polar diameter of the fruit.

The diameter of the annulus formed by the tines 2 is such that, for a graded size of fruit, the tines will penetrate the fruit just within the apices of the Vs formed by the radial portions of the integuments and between the polar axis of the fruit and the annular region within which the seeds l5 lie.

The turn-table may be shifted to bring each fork successively to a charging station, a seedextraction station, and a segment-segregating station.

The fruit, having preferably been divested of the major portion of its peeling and the circumferential parts of the integuments, by a suitable peeling operation which will avoid rupture of the adhesion bond between the radial portions of the integuments, is impaled, polar-wise, upon a fork and thence carried to a deseeding station where the polar diameter of the fruit is aligned axially with an annular series of depending tines 2| similar to but greater in number than the tines I 2 and arranged in an annulus having a diameter such that the tines 2| may penetrate the fruit just outside the annular region of the seeds.

Prior to the penetration of the fruit by the tines 2|, the fruit is preferably supported by a twopart cup composed of segments 22, 22 which may be swung into position beneath the fruit to support the same. The segmental cup portions 22 lit the lower hemisphere of the fruit and are preferably lined with sponge rubber.

When the fruit has been provided Withthe support of the cup segments 22, the annular series of tines 2| is projected downwardly through the fruit so that the seeds are confined between the inner annular series of tines |2 and the outer annular series of tines 2|.

The seeds being thus radially confined may be readily forced polar-wise out of the fruit. For this purpose, I prefer to provide ejecting tines 23 which are similar to the tines I2 and 2| except that their tips 24 are preferably quite sharp so as to be capable of slightly penetrating the seeds. The tines 23 may, if desired, be arranged in a complete annular series having a diameter midway between the diameter of the groups of tines I2 and 2| but, in order to avoid possibility of too great disruption of the fruit, I prefer to arrange the tines 23 in one or more circumferentially spaced arc-shaped groups, as indicated in Fig. 1.

The tines l2, 2| and 23 are somewhat flexible laterally so as to be capable of accommodating themselves to the vagaries of arrangement of the radiating portions of the segment integuments, my experience being that by this arrangement,

the segment integuments are not pierced or ruptured by movement of the tines into the fruit.

The tines of the several groups are slightly laterally spaced so as to afford room for the integuments therebetween, and the tines of the groups l2 and 2E are placed closely enough together to prevent radial passage of seeds therebetween.

The inner tines l2 restrain the seeds against radial movement toward the polaraxis, thereby avoiding rupture of the integuments at their apices, and the tines 2| restrain the seeds against outward radial movement, thereby avoiding rupture of the juice cells by such outward movement.

This application is a division from my copending application Serial No. 34,346 filed August 2, 1935 for Apparatus for segmenting integurnentfree fruit segments.

I claim as my invention:

1. Means for deseeding naturally segmented fruits, comprising two arc-shaped concentric but radially-spaced groups of laterally spaced parallel pins capable of penetrating a fruit parallel with its polar axis respectively closely adjacent and upon opposite sides of the seed region relative to the fruit axis, and a third group of parallel laterally-spaced seed-engaging pins projectable between the two first-mentioned groups parallel therewith. 1

2. Means for deseeding naturally segmented fruits, comprising two arc-shaped concentric but radially-spaced groups of laterally spaced parallel pins capable of penetrating a fruit parallel with its polar axis respectively closely adjacent and upon opposite sides of the seed region relative to the fruit axis, and seed engaging means projectable axially between said pin groups.

3. Means for deseeding naturally-segmented fruits, comprising two annular, concentric, ra-

dially-spaced groups of laterally spaced paral- M'lel pins capable of penetrating a fruit parallel 

